Here are two questions as USC heads toward the season:
No. 1: Can Lincoln Riley survive?
With a huge 10-year contract and buyout, Lincoln Riley’s been pretty safe even amid the general disappointment of his first four seasons. But as Riley enters Year 5, there is a feeling USC’s administration might be willing to make a move if he doesn’t advance to the playoffs. Patience is thin and expectations high so Riley could be under pressure.
No. 2: Is Gary Patterson as good as advertised?
Getting former TCU coach Gary Patterson to be USC’s defensive coordinator looks like a home-run hire. But will Patterson need to be a miracle worker? USC’s defenses have consistently found ways to falter in key moments under Riley. Can Patterson change the culture? If he can, the season has a much better chance of being a success.
- Former USC guard Nick Young said this recently on The Shop: “(Alijah Arenas), my nephew, he got $3 million for 1 year to go to USC. Why would I go to the NBA and be a 2nd round pick, non guaranteed?”
InsideUSC with Scott Wolf 
KAM: I have heard about outrageous sums of money paid to college basketballers
DON: It only takes a few good guys to make a basketball team win, but you need a boatload of players to run a successful football team
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WILEY: So here we are finally on the cusp of another season and one in which I plan to redeem my football reputation. I am better than I’ve shown
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KAM: The jury’s out on Patterson
DON: What worries me is he has complicated defensive schemes, like having 2 separate calls for the Front-7 and the Back-4
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Question 1. One can only hope he doesn’t survive
Question 2. Nope
Question 3 If Riley fails, and don’t see any reason he won’t, will SC make an out of the box hire like Indiana did or go for the star hire again ?
McKay, out of the box hire
Carroll, out of the box hire
Robinson, can’t say he was a star hire nor an out of the box hire in 1976
Hackett, Robo 2 and Helton were lazy hires
Kiffin, Sark, Riley, star hires and fails.
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Kiffin and Sark finally figured it out because they addressed their issues and grew up.
Riley is like Helton – he is not willing to do that.
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Arenas is Nick Young’s nephew?
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